The local Soul Hunters outdoors ministry is taking to television to reach more people with its message of redemption and enjoyment of the outdoors.

The new “Soul Hunters” television show will debut Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on the Sky 4 channel, which broadcasts from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and can be seen in the Albemarle.

The show also will be on the Hunt Channel beginning Sunday, with a live stream slated for 8:30 p.m. on HuntChannel.tv. The Hunt Channel can be watched using the Hunt Channel website, ROKU, or a free Apple Mobile or free Android app.

After Sunday night’s live streaming of the show on the Hunt Channel, the episode may be viewed anytime, explained Ralph Hollowell.

Hollowell, who is involved in the local Soul Hunters affiliate, is involved in producing the television show along with his sons, Jacob and Joshua Hollowell, and his wife, Lisa Hollowell.

Soul Hunters Sportsmen Ministry is affiliated with Fountain of Life Church in Elizabeth City but includes outdoor enthusiasts from other churches. Hollowell, for example, attends Bagley Swamp Wesleyan Church in Perquimans County.

Hollowell has been shooting a lot of video for upcoming episodes of the show. One of his sons has a drone business and is shooting some drone footage, and Lisa Hollowell edits the video.

“The editing is a big part of it,” he said.

The family-based crew uses professional quality video cameras and production equipment but the effort is all-volunteer.

Hollowell said the primary purpose of the show is to introduce people to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and only secondarily to promote participation in outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. The group uses hunting, fishing, archery competitions and other activities to reach out to people — especially youth, he said.

Lisa Hollowell attended a television production camp in Nashville and learned a lot, according to Ralph Hollowell.

“That helped out tremendously to go to that camp,” Hollowell said.

The crew has produced six episodes of “Soul Hunters” so far and is continuing to edit existing footage and constantly shooting new video for the show.

“This is just another way for Soul Hunters to reach out,” Hollowell said.

Soul Hunters has visited an orphanage in Mexico, sponsors hunting and fishing trips for youth, and works with the Hunters for the Hungry organization to process deer meat for the region’s hungry.

The deer collection site is in the old N.C. Marine Fisheries building on U.S. 17 South in Elizabeth City and is marked with a big “Soul Hunters” sign.

Hollowell said his family has learned just how much work is involved in producing a television show.

“Doing a TV show is not an easy job,” he said. “It's fun but it's not easy.”

It’s all worth it, though, if it helps people discover a relationship with God or grow in that relationship, he said.

“The whole focus of Soul Hunters is using the outdoors as another way to reach out to people,” Hollowell said.